Devices, systems, and methods for repairing soft tissue and attaching soft tissue to bone

ABSTRACT

Devices, systems and/or methods for repairing soft tissue adjacent a soft tissue repair site. In one embodiment, a repair device includes an anchor member, a capture member and one or more flexible members. The anchor member includes a base with at least four legs extending integrally from the base, the at least four legs configured to be moveable from a straight first position to a formed second position. The capture member is configured to be coupled to the anchor member such that the at least four legs of the anchor member move around structural portions of the capture member with the at least four legs of the anchor member in the formed second position. The one or more flexible members are coupled to the base of the anchor member, the one or more flexible members extending at least partially along the base of the anchor member.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a divisional of U.S. Pat.Application No. 15/907,202, filed Feb. 27, 2018, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/464,300, filed Feb. 27, 2017, U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/608,533, filed Dec. 20, 2017, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/633,000, filed Feb. 20, 2018, the disclosures of each are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. Further, U.S. Pat.Application No. 15/907,202 also claims the benefit, and is a continuation-in-part of, U.S. Pat. Aplication No. 15/870,447, filed Jan. 12, 2018, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/581,031, filed Nov. 2, 2017, U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/464,300, filed Feb. 27, 2017, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/445,596, filed Jan. 12, 2017, the disclosures of each are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. Further, U.S. Pat. application No. 15/870,447 also claims the benefit, and is a continuation-in-part of, U.S. Pat. Application No. 15/719,346, filed Sep. 28, 2017, now U.S. Pat. o. 10,835,241, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/401,042, filed Sep. 28, 2016, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. Further, U.S. Pat. Aplication No. 15/719,346 also claims the benefit, and is a continuation-in-part of, U.S. Pat. pplication No. 14/885,959, filed Oct. 16, 2015, now U.S. Pat. o. 10,219,804, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/215,739, filed Sep. 9, 2015, U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/129,742, filed Mar. 6, 2015, U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/094,032, filed Dec. 18, 2014, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/064,533, filed Oct. 16, 2014, the disclosures of each are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. Further, U.S. Pat. Aplication No. 14/885,959 also claims the benefit, and is a continuation-in-part of, U.S. Pat. Appcation No. 14/645,924, filed Mar. 12, 2015, now U.S. Pat. No.9,629,632, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Pat. Application 62/053,056, filed Sep. 19, 2014, U.S. Provisional Pat. Application62/040,451, filed Aug. 22, 2014, U.S. Provisional Pat. ApplicationNo. 62/007,783, filed Jun. 4, 2014, and U.S. Provisional Pat. Application No.61/952,114, filed Mar. 12, 2014, the disclosures of each are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. Further, U.S. Pat. Application No. 15/907,202 also claims the benefit, and is a continuation-in-part of, U.S. Pat. Application No. 14/885,956, filed Oct. 16, 2015, now U.S. Pat. No.10,390,935, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Pate. Application No.62/064,533, filed Oct. 16, 2014, the disclosures of each are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to soft tissue repair sites. More particularly, the present invention relates to devices, systems, and methods for repairing soft tissue and attaching soft tissue to bone.

BACKGROUND

One of the most common needs in orthopedic surgery is the fixation of soft tissue, such as ligament or tendon, to bone. Typically, fixating soft tissue to bone is implemented with a bone anchor and suture material with suture coupled between the soft tissue and the bone anchor such that the soft tissue is cinched in against the bone. However, coupling suture to soft tissue is time consuming and often requires complex suture patterns for effective fixation, often requiring specialized surgeons. While this can provide a good initial repair, the strength and quality of the repair may quickly degrade with subsequent loading and mobilization, depending on the activity level of the patient, which often results. As such, it would be advantageous to eliminate the complexity and the time consuming nature of this type of surgery while also increasing the long term effectiveness of the procedure.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to various devices, systems and methods for repairing soft tissue at a soft tissue repair site. For example, in one embodiment, a repair device for fixating to soft tissue at a soft tissue repair site is provided. The repair device includes an anchor member, a capture member, and one or more flexible members. The anchor member includes a base with at least four legs extending integrally from the base, the at least four legs configured to be moveable from a straight first position to a formed second position. The capture member is configured to be coupled to the anchor member such that the at least four legs of the anchor member move around structural portions of the capture member with the at least four legs of the anchor member in the formed second position. The one or more flexible members are coupled to the base of the anchor member, the one or more flexible members extending at least partially along the base of the anchor member.

In another embodiment, the base includes multiple recesses defined therein, the recesses sized and configured to receive the one or more flexible members for coupling the one or more flexible members to the base. In another embodiment, the at least four legs each extend from the base with a length, a width, and a depth, the length being longer than the width and the depth, the width extending with a first taper and a second taper along the length of the at least four legs, the first and second tapers of the at least four legs sized and configured to facilitate the at least four legs to be moveable to the formed second position. In still another embodiment, the at least four legs extend from an outer periphery of the base with a curvature to extend downward relative to an underside surface of the base of the anchor member.

In another embodiment, the one or more flexible members includes one or more filaments sized and configured to wrap around portions of the base. In still another embodiment, the one or more flexible members include a first flexible member and a second flexible member, the second flexible member configured to couple to the first flexible member. In yet another embodiment, the one or more flexible members are configured to be coupled to a bone anchor.

In another embodiment, the capture member extends with multiple apertures defined therein, each one of the multiple apertures sized and configured to correspond with one of the at least four legs of the anchor member. In still another embodiment, the capture member extends with a generally flat configuration.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a repair device system for fixating soft tissue to bone is provided. The repair device system includes a bone anchor with an elongated structure, a soft tissue anchor member, and one or more flexible members. The soft tissue anchor member includes a base with multiple legs integrally extending from the base, the legs configured to be moveable from a straight first position to a formed second position, the soft tissue anchor configured to be coupled to soft tissue with the legs in the formed second position. With this arrangement, the soft tissue anchor is coupled to the bone anchor with the one or more flexible members.

In another embodiment, the repair device system further includes a capture member configured to be coupled to the anchor member such that the legs of anchor member curl around structural portions of the capture member with the legs in the formed second position. In another embodiment, the capture member extends with a generally flat configuration. In still another embodiment, the capture member includes tines configured to extend upward toward the base of the anchor member.

In another embodiment, the multiple legs extend from an outer periphery of the base with a curvature to extend downward relative to an underside surface of the base of the anchor member. In another embodiment, the multiple legs each extend from the base with a length, a width, and a depth, the length being longer than the width and the depth, the width extending with a first taper and a second taper along the length of the legs, the first and second tapers of the legs sized and configured to facilitate the legs to be moveable to the formed second position. In another embodiment, the one or more flexible members include a first flexible member and a second flexible member, the first flexible member coupled to the base of the soft tissue anchor member and the second flexible member directly coupled to the first flexible member and coupled to the bone anchor.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a method for fixating to soft tissue at a soft tissue repair site is provided. The method including the steps of: providing a delivery device coupled to an anvil with an anvil surface having anvil buckets defined therein, the delivery device configured to hold an anchor member with a base and at least four legs integrally extending from the base, the anchor member including one or more flexible members coupled to the base; positioning soft tissue over the anvil surface of the anvil; and forcing the at least four legs of the anchor member with the delivery device through the soft tissue to then compress the at least four legs into the anvil buckets so that the at least four legs of the anchor member are formed to couple to the soft tissue.

In another embodiment, the method step of providing includes providing a capture member over the anvil surface so that, upon forcing the at least four legs, the at least four legs wrap around structural portions of the capture member so that the soft tissue is captured between the base of the anchor member and the capture member. In another embodiment, the method further includes the step of coupling the one or more flexible members to a bone anchor. In still another embodiment, the method step of forcing includes forcing the one or more flexible members through the soft tissue with a needle structure.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a repair device system for fixating soft tissue to bone with a bone anchor is provided. The repair device system including a delivery device and an anchor member. The delivery device includes an anvil surface, the anvil surface defining anvil buckets therein. The anchor member includes a base with at least four legs extending from the base. Further, the base includes one or more flexible members coupled thereto. With this arrangement, the at least four legs are configured to be compressed against the anvil buckets to move the at least four legs to a formed configuration for fixation to the soft tissue and the one or more flexible members are configured to be coupled to the bone anchor.

In another embodiment, the repair device system further includes a capture member, the capture member configured to be positioned over the anvil surface and configured to be captured by the at least four legs of the anchor member upon the at least four legs being moved to the formed configuration. In another embodiment, the one or more flexible members are configured to be coupled to a bone anchor. In still another embodiment, the one or more flexible members includes a first flexible member and a second flexible member, the second flexible member configured to couple to the first flexible member. In another embodiment, the delivery device includes a needle structure sized and configured to deliver the one or more flexible members through the soft tissue.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a repair device for fixating to soft tissue at a soft tissue repair site is provided. The repair device includes an anchor member and one or more flexible members. The anchor member includes a base with at least four legs integrally extending from the base, the at least four legs sized and configured to move from a straight first position to a formed second position. The one or more flexible members are coupled to the base of the anchor member, the one or more flexible members extending adjacent a periphery of the base.

In another embodiment, the one or more flexible members are coupled to the anchor member by wrapping the one or more flexible members around portions of the base. In another embodiment, the one or more flexible members are configured to be coupled to a bone anchor. In still another embodiment, the one or more flexible members include a first flexible member and a second flexible member, the second flexible member configured to couple to the first flexible member. In still another embodiment, the base includes recesses defined therein, the recesses sized and configured to facilitate coupling the flexible member to the base. In yet another embodiment, the formed second position of the at least four legs of the anchor member exhibit a curled configuration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing and other advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an anchor member of a repair device, depicting the anchor member having one or more flexible members attached thereto, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a capture member of the repair device for coupling to the anchor member of FIG. 1 , according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the repair device in a pre-deployed state, depicting legs of the anchor member aligned relative to coupling structure of the capture member, according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the repair device of FIG. 3 in a deployed and coupled state, depicting legs of the anchor member formed around coupling structure of the capture member, according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the repair device associated with an anvil, depicting the anchor member in the pre-deployed state as positioned within a cartridge (not shown) and positioned above the capture member disposed on the anvil, according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a top view of the anvil of FIG. 5 , according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is an exploded view of an implant delivery member and the repair device, according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a perspective of a delivery device disengaged with the implant delivery member, according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8A is an enlarged perspective view of the implant delivery member, according to the present invention;

FIG. 9A is a cross-sectional view of the delivery device taken along section line 9A-9A of FIG. 8 , according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9B is a cross-sectional view of the delivery device, depicting the implant delivery member engaged with the delivery device, according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the implant delivery member taken along section line A-A of FIG. 8A, according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a simplified side view of the repair device of FIG. 4 coupled to soft tissue, depicting a flexible member extending from the repair device and the soft tissue, according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11A is a simplified side view of another embodiment of a repair device coupled to soft tissue, depicting a flexible member extending from an anchor member and the soft tissue, according to the present invention;

FIG. 12 is a simplified side view of the repair device coupled to soft tissue, depicting a bone anchor and a suture extending from the repair device, according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 13 is a simplified side view of the repair device coupled to soft tissue, depicting a bone anchor seated within bone with a flexible member extending from the bone anchor, according to the present invention;

FIG. 14 is a simplified side view of the repair device coupled to soft tissue, depicting a bone anchor coupled to the repair device with a flexible member, according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 15 is a simplified side view of another embodiment of the repair device coupled to soft tissue, depicting a post configured to cooperate with the repair device, a flexible member and a bone anchor, according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 16 is a simplified side view of another embodiment of the repair device coupled to soft tissue, depicting a post configured to cooperate with the repair device and a flexible member extending from a bone anchor seated within bone, according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 17A is a perspective view of another embodiment of an anchor member of a repair device, according to the present invention;

FIG. 17B is a perspective view of another embodiment of a capture member, according to the present invention;

FIG. 18A is a perspective view of another embodiment of an anchor member of a repair device, according to the present invention;

FIG. 18B is a perspective view of another embodiment of a capture member, according to the present invention;

FIG. 19A is a perspective view of another embodiment of anchor member of a repair device, according to the present invention;

FIG. 19B is a perspective view of another embodiment of a capture member, according to the present invention;

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of another embodiment of an anchor member of a repair device, according to the present invention;

FIG. 21 is a perspective view of another embodiment of an anchor member of a repair device, according to the present invention;

FIG. 22 is a top view of another embodiment of an anchor member of a repair device, depicting one or more flexible members coupled to the anchor member, according to the present invention;

FIG. 23 is a top view of another embodiment of an anchor member of a repair device, depicting one or more flexible members coupled to the anchor member, according to the present invention;

FIG. 24 is a top view of another embodiment of an anchor member of a repair device, depicting one or more flexible members coupled to the anchor member, according to the present invention;

FIG. 25 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a repair device, depicting the repair device having a bone anchor portion with legs in an unformed first state, according to the present invention;

FIG. 26 is a perspective view of the repair device of FIG. 25 , depicting the legs extending from the bone anchor portion in a formed second state, according to another embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 27 is a simplified side view of the repair device of FIG. 26 , depicting the bone anchor portion seated in bone with the legs coupled to soft tissue, according to another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Various embodiments are disclosed herein of a soft tissue repair device and system. Such repair device and system may be sized and configured to approximate and fuse, for example, soft tissue to bone. The various embodiments may provide structure that maintains the soft tissue against bone in an abutting relationship, without gapping. In this manner, the repair device and system of the present invention may provide the proper healing required for fusing the soft tissue to bone.

Now with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 , one embodiment of a repair device 10 that may include an anchor member 12 and a capture member 14 is provided. The anchor member 12 may be sized and configured to cooperate with the capture member 14 for coupling to soft tissue, such as tendon or ligament type soft tissue. Such repair device 10 may include one or more flexible members 16 that may be coupled thereto for coupling to, for example, a bone anchor 152 (FIG. 12 ) with the soft tissue held against the bone and over or adjacent the bone anchor 152. Further, the repair device 10 may be deployed from a delivery device 11 (FIG. 8 ) so that the repair device may be fixated to soft tissue.

With respect to FIG. 1 , the anchor member 12 of this embodiment may include one or more flexible members 16, such as a first flexible member 17, that may be coupled to the anchor member 12. Further, the anchor member 12 may include a base 18 with legs 20 extending downward from the base 18. The base 18 may include a circular structure or profile, such as a ring like structure, or any other suitable structure sized and configured to couple the one or more flexible members 16 thereto and having the legs 20 extending therefrom. The base 18 may include an outer periphery 22 and an inner periphery 24 such that the legs 20 may extend from the outer periphery 22. In another embodiment, the legs 20 may extend from the inner periphery 24. Further, the base 18 may define an upper surface 26 and a lower surface 28 extending to the outer periphery 22 and the inner periphery 24 of the base 18. The base 18 may define a tissue anchor axis 27 extending centrally and axially relative to the base 18 and extending substantially parallel relative to the legs 20. Further, in another embodiment, the legs 20 may extend from the outer periphery 22 with a curvature or curved portion 21 to then continue extending away from the base 18 in a substantially linear or straight manner so that the legs 20 may extend substantially perpendicular relative to the lower surface 28 or underside of the base 18.

In one embodiment, the base 18 may include coupling structure 29 for coupling the one or more flexible members 16 to the base 18. Such coupling structure 29 may include recesses, notches, protrusions, and/or openings formed in the base 18. The coupling structure 29 of the anchor member 12 may also include a portion of the legs 20, such as the curved portion 21 of the legs 20 or leg portions adjacent the base 18. In this manner, the legs 20 may be employed, at least in part, as the coupling structure 29. For example, the coupling structure 29 formed in the base 18 may include multiple recesses 30 defined in the base, the recesses 30 sized and configured to facilitate wrapping the first flexible member 17 to the base 18 of the anchor member 12. Such recesses 30 may be defined in the outer periphery 22 of the base 18 and may extend between the upper surface 26 and the lower surface 28 of the base 18. The inner periphery 24 of the base 18 may extend with bumps 32 or protrusions that correspond with the recesses 30 defined in the base 18.

The one or more flexible members 16 may be formed from one or more filaments or fibers. The filaments or fibers may be formed from a polymeric material or a natural fiber. In one embodiment, the filaments or fibers may be a polyethylene material, such as ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (“UHMWPE”), a polyester material, a polypropylene material, or the like. In another embodiment, the one or more flexible members 16 may be formed of suture material and/or extend as a suture. In another embodiment, the polymeric filament or fiber may be a bioresorbable material, such as polylactide (“PLA”), polycaprolactone (“PCL”), polydioxanone (“PDX”), or the like, or any other suitable bioresorbable material as known to one of ordinary skill in the art. In another embodiment, the filaments or fibers may be formed in a woven or braided configuration or may extend with strands wound in a side-by-side configuration, or may extend with strands wound side-by-side and in a twisted configuration or any other suitable configuration to form a flexible member. In another embodiment, the one or more flexible members 16 may be a continuous loop. In another embodiment, the continuous loop may include a woven or braided structure. In another embodiment, the one or more flexible members 16 may extend with at least two free ends.

The anchor member 12 may be laser cut from sheet material or cut from the sheet material with any other suitable process. As such, the anchor member 12 may be a monolithic structure or a seamless unitary structure. The base 18 may include an outer diameter and an inner diameter, the outer diameter defined by the outer periphery 22 and the inner diameter defined by the inner periphery 24. The inner periphery 24 of the base 18 may define a central opening 25 of the base 18. In one embodiment, the tissue anchor axis 27 may be centrally located so that the tissue anchor axis 27 extends axially through the central opening 25. The base 18 may also define a thickness 34 similar to the thickness of the sheet material. As such, the base 18 may extend with a substantially flat structure or configuration with the upper surface 26 and the lower surface 28 being substantially planar. The outer periphery 22 and inner periphery 24 of the base 18 may extend radially relative to the tissue anchor axis 27 (or about the axis 27) along a majority of the outer and inner peripheries 22, 24 such that the outer and inner peripheries exhibit a generally circular profile (as viewed from the top or bottom of the anchor member 12). Further, the legs 20 may include a length 36, a width 38, and a depth 40, the depth being similar to the thickness of the base 18, which also may correspond with the thickness of the sheet material. The width 38 may include multiple tapers along the longitudinal length 36 of the legs 20. For example, the width 38 may include a first taper 42 and a second taper 44, each of which may be sized and configured to manipulate a direction and orientation for the legs 20 to curl and/or wrap upon being compressed against an anvil (not shown), discussed further herein. The first taper 42 may extend from adjacent to the curved portion 21 of the legs along a majority of the length 36 of the legs 20. The second taper 44 may extend from an end of the first taper to a free end 43 of the legs 20 such that the second taper 44 is shorter than the first taper 42.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 , the capture member 14 will now be described. The capture member 14 may be sized and configured to be captured by the legs 20 of the anchor member 12 with tissue therebetween (see FIG. 1 ). The capture member 14 may include a pentagon type profile, or any other suitable profile, such as a circular profile or the like that may be employed for cooperating with and capturing the legs 20 of the anchor member 12. The capture member 14 may include coupling structure that may define apertures 46, recesses, notches or protrusions therein. Such coupling structure of the capture member 14, such as the apertures 46, recesses, notches, protrusions or any other suitable structure, may be sized and configured to receive and couple to the legs 20 of the anchor member 12. In this manner, the apertures 46 may be sized and positioned in the capture member 14 to correspond with the legs 20 of the anchor member 12.

Further, the capture member 14 may include an upper surface 48 and a lower surface 50 such that the apertures 46 extend through and between the upper and lower surfaces 48, 50 of the capture member 14. The capture member 14 may also define an outer periphery 52 and an inner periphery 54 such that the inner periphery 54 may define a central opening of the capture member 14. The upper surface 48 and the lower surface 50 of the capture member may extend to the outer and inner peripheries 52, 54 of the capture member 14. The capture member 14 may also include tines 56 extending upward above the upper surface 48. The tines 56 may extend from the inner periphery 54 and may be sized and configured to engage with soft tissue. Further, the tines 56 may extend in an inward canted manner or may extend substantially perpendicular relative to the upper surface 48 of the capture member 14. Such capture member 14, similar to the anchor member 12, may be formed as a monolithic, seamless structure from sheet material. As such, but for the tines 56, the capture member may be a substantially flat structure or configuration. Further, the upper surface 48 and lower surface 50 may extend in a planar manner. Further, the structure of the capture member 14 may define a capture member axis 57 that may extend centrally and axially relative to the structure of the capture member 14 such that the capture member axis 57 may extend substantially perpendicular relative to the upper and lower surfaces 48, 50 of the capture member 14.

In one embodiment, the sheet material for forming the anchor member 12 and the capture member 14 may be formed from a metallic material, such as stainless steel, titanium, or Nitinol, or any other suitable medical grade material or combinations of materials. As previously set forth, such anchor member 12 and capture member 14 may be laser cut from the sheet material or cut using any suitable technique known in the art. In another embodiment, the anchor member 12 may be formed from a polymeric material or a bioresorbable material, formed and manufactured as known by one of ordinary skill in the art. Upon being cut from the sheet material, the legs 20 of the anchor member 12 may be bent to position the legs downward or moved to orient the legs to extend away from a single side or underside of the anchor member 12. Similarly, the tines 56 of the capture member 14 may be bent upward, such as at a canted orientation or substantially perpendicular relative to the upper surface 48 of the capture member 14. Once the legs 20 or tines 56 have been appropriately oriented and bent into position, the anchor member 12 and capture member 14 may undergo an electro polishing or chemical polishing process, as known to one of ordinary skill in the art. In another embodiment, the anchor member 12 and/or the capture member 14 may be formed from a medical grade polymeric material, as known to one of ordinary skill in the art. In another embodiment, the anchor member 12 and/or the capture member may be formed from a bioresorbable material, as known to one of ordinary skill in the art.

Now with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4 , the anchor member 12 may be sized and configured to be coupled to the capture member 14, as depicted. For example, prior to the anchor member 12 and the capture member 14 being coupled together, the legs 20 of the anchor member 12 may be aligned with the apertures 46 of the capture member 14, as depicted in FIG. 3 , such that the tissue anchor axis 27 and the capture member axis 57 may be substantially coaxial or substantially parallel relative to each other. The legs 20 of the anchor member 12 may be aligned to pass through the apertures 46 and moved to a formed position so that the legs 20 may curl and wrap around structural portions of the capture member 14. The first and second tapers 42, 44 defined in the width 38 (FIG. 1 ) of the legs 20 may be sized and configured to manipulate and provide consistency in the legs 20 being moved from a substantially straight, non-formed first position (FIG. 3 ) to a formed second position (FIG. 4 ). The formed second position of the legs 20 may exhibit a curled configuration along an end portion of the legs 20. In this manner, the capture member 14 may be captured by the legs 20 of the anchor member 12 with soft tissue (not shown) therebetween, discussed in more detail herein. In another embodiment, the capture member 14 may include structure, such as notches, protrusions or recesses defined therein, sized and configured to cooperate with the legs 20 so that the legs 20 of the anchor member 12 may curl or wrap around structural portions of the capture member 14, in a similar manner depicted in FIG. 4 . Further, as depicted in FIG. 4 , upon coupling the anchor member 12 to the capture member 14, the tissue anchor axis 27 and the capture member axis 57 may extend substantially coaxial or substantially parallel relative to each other.

In one embodiment, as depicted in FIG. 3 , the one or more flexible members 16 may include the first flexible member 17 and a second flexible member 60. Although not shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 , the second flexible member 60 may be pre-coupled to the first flexible member 17, as shown simplistically in FIG. 3 and described in further detail herein. For example, as previously set forth, the first flexible member 17 may be coupled to the base 18 of the anchor member 12. Such first flexible member 17 may be employed as a coupling for the second flexible member 60. The second flexible member 60 may extend over one or more portions of the first flexible member 17. For example, the first flexible member 17 may be coupled to the base 18 and extend adjacent the base 18 and along the inner periphery 24 of the base 18 so as to exhibit multiple lengths 62 or expanses of the first flexible member 17 extending between attachment points at the recesses 30 defined in the base 18. The second flexible member 60 may be coupled to the first flexible member 17 along, for example, the lengths 62 or a portion of the first flexible member 17. Such coupling of the second flexible member 60 to the first flexible member 17 is depicted in FIG. 3 in a simplified manner as extending over the first flexible member 17, but such coupling may be wrapped over or around portions of the first flexible member 17 along each length 62 or expanse between attachment points so as to be tied or wrapped in a fixed manner to the first flexible member 17. As can be appreciated, such coupling of the second flexible member 60 to the first flexible member 17 may be employed with a variety of configurations. Additional examples of the one or more flexible members 16 and the coupling thereof may be found in commonly owned U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/633,000, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

In one embodiment, the second flexible member 60 may extend with two free ends. In another embodiment, the second flexible member 60 may extend as a continuous loop. Such free ends or an end portion of a continuous loop may be configured to be coupled to a bone anchor (not shown), discussed further herein. In this manner, along such lengths 62 or portions of the first flexible member 17 being the coupling structure, the second flexible member 60 may be wrapped and coupled to the first flexible member 17. With this arrangement, the coupling between the second flexible member 60 and the first flexible member 17 may be more resistant to fatigue, fraying and/or deterioration since the coupling is between flexible members, without rigid edges between the coupling thereof. Further, such coupling may be advantageous because the first flexible member 17 may act somewhat resiliently to any force placed on the second flexible member 60. Further, upon a force being placed upon the second flexible member 60, such as from being coupled to a bone anchor, the coupling of the second flexible member 60 to the first flexible member 17, such as at each length 62 or expanse, may distribute the force along the base 18 of the anchor member 12. In this manner, the one or more flexible members 16 may act to distribute the force along the tissue adjacent the repair device 10 as well as minimize the stress being placed upon the soft tissue and the one or more flexible members 16 to, thereby, maintain the repair device 10 intact with the soft tissue.

Now with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6 , a portion of an implant delivery member 65 configured to couple the anchor member 12 to the capture member 14 is provided. The implant delivery member 65 may include, in part, an anvil 70 coupled to a guide portion 72 such that the implant delivery member 65 may be configured to couple to a delivery device (not shown). The guide portion 72 may include rails or the like for a cartridge (not shown) to be slidingly coupled thereto, discussed in further detail herein. The anvil 70 may include an anvil upper surface 74 with anvil buckets 76 defined therein. The anvil buckets 76 may be sized and configured to receive and engage the legs 20 of the anchor member 12 to facilitate curling the legs 20 (see FIG. 4 ) into the soft tissue (not shown) positioned over the anvil upper surface 74. Further, if employing the capture member 14, the capture member 14 may be positioned and temporarily secured over the anvil upper surface 74. For example, the anvil upper surface 74 may include multiple protrusions 78 positioned thereon to assist in precisely positioning the capture member 14 over the anvil upper surface 74 such that the protrusions 78 may be positioned to correspond with corners of the inner periphery 54 of the capture member 14. In this manner, the capture member 14 may be positioned so that the apertures 46 defined in the capture member 14 may be positioned over the anvil buckets 76 defined in the anvil upper surface 74. With the capture member 14 positioned on the anvil 70, the anchor member 12 may be positioned and aligned above the capture member 12 so that the legs 20 may be aligned with the apertures 46 of the capture member 14. Such anchor member 12 may be aligned and positioned above the capture member 14 by being held within a cartridge (not shown), discussed in further detail herein.

Once the capture member 14 may be positioned over the anvil upper surface 74, the soft tissue may then be positioned over the capture member 14. The anvil 70 may also include a neck portion 80 extending laterally from the anvil upper surface 74 with an upward extension 82 spaced from the anvil upper surface 74. The upward extension 82 of the neck portion 80 may be coupled to the guide portion 72. With this neck portion 80, there is additional space for positioning the soft tissue over the anvil upper surface 74 of the anvil 70. Upon positioning the soft tissue 5 over the anvil 70 (see FIG. 10 ), the anchor member 12 may then be delivered so as to compress the legs 20 through the soft tissue, through apertures 46 of the capture member 14, and into the anvil buckets 76. The anvil buckets 76 may be positioned and oriented in the anvil upper surface 74 such that the legs 20 of the anchor member 12 curl and wrap around structural portions of the capture member 14. In this manner, the anchor member 12 may be coupled to the capture member 14 with the soft tissue therebetween, as depicted in FIG. 4 . Furthermore, the anvil upper surface 74 may define an aperture 84 extending through the anvil 70. Such aperture 84 may be employed for the one or more flexible members 16 or second flexible member 60 (see FIG. 3 ) to extend therethrough so that the one or more flexible members 16 may be coupled to a bone anchor 152 (FIG. 12 ).

With reference to FIGS. 7 and 8A, the implant delivery member 65 will now be further described. As previously set forth, the implant delivery member 65 may be sized and configured to temporarily hold and house the repair device 10. Such implant delivery member 65 may be removably engaged with a delivery device 11 (FIG. 8 ), for example. The implant delivery member 65 may include various components that interact and cooperate with the delivery device 11 so that the repair device 10 may be deployed and fixated to soft tissue with the anvil 70 at an end portion of the implant delivery member 65 and the delivery device 11.

The implant delivery member 65 may include a cradle 90, a cartridge 92 and a pusher member 94, each of which may be sized and configured to cooperate with the repair device 10. The cartridge 92 may be linearly slidable along and coupled to the guide portion 72 with a c-arm or channel or the like extending along an underside of the cartridge 92. The guide portion 72 may be fixedly coupled to an elongated extension 82 of the cradle 90. The cartridge 92 may be hollow or define a hollow portion so as to define an opening 96 that may extend through opposite sides of the cartridge 92. The pusher member 94 may be positionable within a proximal side of the hollow portion or opening 96 of the cartridge 92. The proximal side of the opening 96 may be covered by a cap 98. Adjacent a distal side of the opening 96 or hollow portion, the anchor member 12 may be positioned distally adjacent the pusher member 94 within the cartridge 92. Further, the cartridge 92 may define internal grooves 104 in structure along the distal side of the hollow portion or opening 96, the internal grooves 104 sized and configured to hold the legs 20 of the anchor member 12 such that legs 20 of the anchor member 12 may be pushed through the cartridge 92 and along the internal grooves 104.

In one embodiment, the elongated extension 82 extending from the neck portion 80 of the cradle 90 may be fixedly coupled to a tongue portion 100. Such tongue portion 100 may be coupled to an underside of the elongated extension 82, the tongue portion 100 and elongated extension 82 may act and be referenced as a base or base portion of the implant delivery member 65. Further, the tongue portion 100 may include threads 102 along a portion thereof, such as along an upper side of the tongue portion 100, the threads 102 sized and configured to engage threads within the delivery device 11(FIG. 8 ). In this manner, the implant delivery member 65 may be readily removed from and coupled to the delivery device 11.

Now with reference to FIGS. 8, 9A and 9B, the delivery device 11 sized and configured to deploy the repair device 10 (as depicted in FIG. 4 ) with the implant delivery member 65 will now be described. The delivery device 11 may include a trigger gun 110 with a trigger 112. The trigger gun 110 may be manually actuatable in a physician’s hand by manually gripping or actuating the trigger 112, as shown with arrow 114. The delivery device 11 may also include a barrel housing 116 defining an axis 118. Such axis 118 of the delivery device 11 may extend coaxial relative to, or parallel with, the tissue anchor axis 27 of the anchor member 12 positioned in the cartridge 92 and the capture member axis 57 of the capture member 14 positioned over the anvil 70. The barrel housing 116 may house a worm drive 120 and a push rod 122 co-axial with the worm drive 120 and extending longitudinally through the worm drive 120. Such push rod 122 may be elongated so as to be co-axial or parallel with the axis 118. Further, such push rod 122 may be configured to cooperate with the trigger 112 so as to distally actuate upon actuating the trigger 112. A detailed description of a suitable trigger handle, capable of providing the force necessary to actuate the push rod 122, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.5,344,061, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The barrel housing 116 may also include one or more openings 124 or opposing openings defined therein such that a thumb wheel 126 may be positioned and accessible for manually rotating therein. Further, the delivery device 11 includes the replaceable and removable implant delivery member 65 such that the implant delivery member 65 may be removable relative to the barrel housing 116.

The thumb wheel 126 of the delivery device 11 may be manually rotatable to cooperate with the worm drive 120. As such, the physician may position the tongue 100 within an end opening 128 or within a bore of the barrel housing 116 and, for example, position the tongue 100 within a space below the push rod 122. Once positioned, the physician may rotate the thumb wheel 126 so that the worm drive 120 may engage the threads 102 of the tongue 100 and linearly move and pull the tongue 100 within the barrel housing 116. Upon engaging the tongue 100, the physician may continue to rotate the thumb wheel 126 so that the tongue 100 continues proximally so that the push rod 122 moves and slides the cartridge 92 distally until the cartridge 92 abuts and stops against the anvil 70 of the cradle 90. The push rod 122 may include a recess 130 at a distal end portion of the push rod 122. Upon the cartridge 92 being moved to a distal stop against the anvil 70 or cradle, further movement of the thumb wheel 126 may move the push rod 122 over a lip 132 adjacent a proximal side of the cartridge 92 so that the recess 130 in the push rod 122 engages and may be captured by the lip 132. The physician may hear, for example, a click as an assurance that the cartridge 92 is engaged with the push rod 122.

At this juncture, the push rod 122 may be engaged with the cartridge 92 such that reverse movement of the thumb wheel 126 may move the push rod 122 and the cartridge 92 proximally with linear movement. The physician may then move the cartridge 92 proximally a desired distance to then position soft tissue 5 over the anvil surface 74 and neck portion 80 (see FIG. 10 ). The cartridge 92 may then be moved linearly and distally to an appropriate position adjacent the soft tissue with the thumb wheel 126. Once the soft tissue and cartridge 92 are appropriately positioned, the trigger 112 of the delivery device 11 may be actuated to move the push rod 122 distally, extending along the axis 118, to push against the pusher member 94 to then push the repair device 10 from the cartridge 92 and into the soft tissue. As previously set forth, as the legs 20 of the anchor member 12 compress against the anvil buckets 76, the legs 20 move to a formed or curled position to wrap around portions of the capture members 18 (see FIGS. 4 and 5 ). At this juncture, the physician may then rotate the thumb wheel 126 to move the tongue 100 and cradle 90 distally so that the cartridge 92 is backed-off from the anvil 70 and so that the user may then readily remove the soft tissue with the deployed repair device 10 therein and from the cradle 70.

If it is desired to implant a second repair device in the soft tissue, the user may then continue to rotate the thumb wheel 126 to continue to move the implant delivery member 65 distally until the worm drive 120 is disengaged from the threads 102 of the tongue 100 of the implant delivery member 65. At this stage, the physician may take a second one of the implant delivery member 65 and position it within the barrel housing 116 for engaging with the delivery device 11 as described above to then position a second repair device in the soft tissue, if desired. In this manner, the implant delivery member 65 is removable and replaceable relative to the delivery device 11 so that the delivery device 11 may be repeatably employed with multiple implant delivery members 65.

The components of the delivery device 11 and implant delivery member 65 may be formed and made with medical grade materials, such as stainless steel, titanium, Nitinol, and/or alloys thereof or any other suitable metallic material or polymeric materials, such as liquid crystal polymers or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (“ABS”) or any other suitable polymeric materials known to one of ordinary skill in the art. Such components of the delivery device 11 may be formed by employing molding and/or machining techniques, or any other suitable techniques and processes known to one of ordinary skill in the art.

With reference to FIG. 10 , in one embodiment, the cartridge 92 of the implant delivery member 65 may include structure for manipulating a position of the one or more flexible members, such as the second flexible member 60, relative to the anchor member 12 of the repair device 10 (see also FIG. 3 ). For example, as previously set forth, the cartridge 92 may include the pusher member 94 positionable along a proximal side of the opening 96 or hollow portion defined in the cartridge 92. Further, the pusher member 94 may include a hollow needle 134 extending from a distal side of the pusher member 94. The hollow needle 134 may correspond with a hole 136 defined in the pusher member 94 that may extend with a curve through the pusher member 94. The hollow needle 134 may be sized and configured to correspond with the aperture 84 defined in the anvil 70. Further, the hollow needle 134 fixedly coupled to the pusher member 94 may be sized and configured to extend through the central opening 25 of the anchor member 12 positioned within a proximal side of the opening 96 of the cartridge 92. With this hollow needle 134 extending distally from the pusher member 94, the second flexible member 60 may extend from the first flexible member 17 at a coupling 140 between the first and second flexible members 17, 60 (see FIG. 3 ) such that the second flexible member 60 may extend distally to extend around an end of the hollow needle 134. The second flexible member 60 may then extend proximally through a conduit 142 of the hollow needle 134 and through the hole 136 defined in the pusher member 94 to continue proximally, for example, through an opening (not shown) in the cap 98 to be clipped or the like to an external surface of the implant delivery member 65. With this arrangement, the anchor member 12 may be deployed with the push rod 122 (FIG. 9B) extending through an aperture 144 defined in the cap 98 to engage a proximal surface 146 of the pusher member 94. The pusher member 94 may then move the anchor member 12 from the cartridge 92 to compress the legs 20 against the anvil buckets 76 to move the legs 20 around portions of the capture member 14 (See FIG. 5 ). Further, as the legs 20 are compressed by the pushing force of the pusher member 94, the hollow needle 134 is also pushed through the soft tissue 5 and through a central opening defined by the inner periphery 54 of the capture member 14 (FIG. 2 ) and through the aperture 84 defined in the anvil 70. Upon the hollow needle 134 extending through the aperture 84 of the anvil 70, the second flexible member 60 is pulled distally with the hollow needle 134 with portions of the second flexible member 60 extending through the soft tissue 5. The physician may then fully pull the second flexible member 60 completely through the soft tissue 5 and the aperture 84 defined in the anvil 70. In this manner, the delivery device or implant delivery member 65 may be sized and configured with a needle like structure to deliver the one or more flexible members, such as the second flexible member 60, to the underside of the soft tissue 5. As previously set forth, the cartridge 92 may be backed-off from the soft tissue 5 by rotating the thumb wheel 126 so that the soft tissue 5 may be removed from the anvil 70 (see also FIG. 9B) with the second flexible member 60 extending from an underside of the soft tissue 5, as depicted in FIG. 11 .

With reference to FIGS. 4 and 11 , the anchor member 12 and capture member 14 of the repair device 10 may be coupled together with soft tissue 5 therebetween such that the legs 20 may extend through the soft tissue 5 to be moved to a curled, formed position, as previously set forth, to wrap around portions of the capture member 14. Further, the one or more flexible members may include the second flexible member 60 extending from, and coupled to, the first flexible member 17 such that the second flexible member 60 extends from the anchor member 12, through the soft tissue 5, and from an underside of the soft tissue 5. In this manner, the repair device 10 may be securely fixated to the soft tissue 5 with the second flexible member 60 extending therefrom. Such second flexible member 60 may be fixedly coupled, for example, to bone with a bone anchor (not shown) or any other structure desired by a physician.

Now with reference to FIGS. 1 and 11A, in another embodiment, the anchor member 12 of the repair device 10 may be fixated to soft tissue (without the capture member 14 of FIG. 2 ), as depicted in FIG. 11A, such that the legs 20 may be moved to the curled, formed position within the soft tissue 5 so that the anchor member 12 may be anchored to the soft tissue. In this embodiment, similar to the previous embodiment, the anchor member 12 may include the one or more flexible members 16 with, for example, the second flexible member 60 extending from the anchor member 12 such that the second flexible member 60 may extend through the soft tissue 5 and extend from an underside of the soft tissue 5.

With reference to FIGS. 4 and 12 , an embodiment of a repair device system 150 for coupling soft tissue 5 to bone 7 is provided. In this embodiment, the repair device system 150 may include a bone anchor 152 and the repair device 10 having the anchor member 12 and the capture member 14, similar to that previously described. The bone anchor 152 may extend with an elongated structure defining a bone anchor axis along and axially relative to the elongated structure. Such bone anchor 152 may include structure along its external surface, such as ribs or threads, to assist the bone anchor 152 to couple to a pre-formed hole 9 in the bone 7. The bone anchor 152 may include a through hole 154 therein or other coupling feature, such as a notch or protruding extensions, sized and configured to couple the one or more flexible members 16, such as the second flexible member 60, to the bone anchor 152. Upon the repair device 150 being coupled to soft tissue 5 with the second flexible member extending from the anchor member 12, as described and depicted in FIGS. 9B, 10 and 11 , the one or more flexible members may be threaded through, for example, the hole 154 defined in the bone anchor 152 to be coupled thereto. The bone anchor 152 may then be seated into and anchored in a pre-formed hole 9 in the bone 7 with the soft tissue cinched against the bone coupled thereto with the one or more flexible members 16. With this arrangement, the repair device 10 may be employed for fixating soft tissue 5 to bone 7.

Now with reference to FIGS. 4 and 13 , another embodiment of a repair device system 160 for coupling soft tissue 5 to bone 7 is provided. In this embodiment, the repair device system may include a bone anchor 162 and the repair device 10. As previously set forth, the repair device 10 may include the anchor member 12 that may be coupled to soft tissue 5 with the capture member 14, similar to previous embodiments. The bone anchor 162 may include one or more flexible members 164 coupled to and extending from the bone anchor 162. Such one or more flexible members 164 may be suture type filaments or the like and may be pre-coupled to the bone anchor 162 or may be coupled to the bone anchor 162 through the procedure of seating the bone anchor 162 into the bone 7. The bone anchor 162 may include an outer surface 166 defining ridges 168 or threads to facilitate coupling to the bone 7 or a base structure previously embedded in the bone 7. Such bone anchor 162 employed in the repair device system 160 may be any suitable bone anchor 162 with one or more flexible members 164 coupled thereto. Upon embedding the bone anchor 162 in the bone 7 and the repair device 10 being coupled to the soft tissue 5, such as tendon or ligament, the one or more flexible members 164 may be threaded through the soft tissue 941 and through the central opening 25 of the anchor member 12. The one or more flexible members 164 may then be tied and knotted to the first flexible member 17 coupled to the anchor member 12. Through the process of coupling the one or more flexible members 164 to the first flexible member 17, the soft tissue 5 and repair device 10 may be cinched in against or adjacent to the bone 7 and/or bone anchor 162 with the one or more flexible members 164. Once the one or more flexible members 164 are coupled to the anchor member 12 via the first flexible member 17, any excess portions of the one or more flexible members 164 may be clipped-off by the physician.

Now with reference to FIGS. 4 and 14 , another embodiment and method of coupling soft tissue to bone with a repair device system 170 is provided. In this embodiment, similar to previous embodiments, the repair device system 170 includes a bone anchor 172 and the repair device, the repair device 10 including the anchor member 12 and the capture member 14. The repair device 10 may be coupled to soft tissue 5 adjacent a soft tissue repair site and may be employed to be coupled to the bone anchor 172 such that the anchor member may include the one or more flexible members, such as the first flexible member 17. The bone anchor 172 may include one or more flexible members 174 coupled thereto that extend from the bone anchor 172. Upon the repair device 10 being coupled to the soft tissue, the one or more flexible members 174 of the bone anchor 172 may by threaded through the inner periphery 54 of the capture member 14, through the soft tissue 5 and through the central opening 25 defined in the anchor member 12. The one or more flexible members 174 may then be threaded over the repair device 10 and through the soft tissue 5 and through a hole 176 of the bone anchor or other coupling structure of the bone anchor. The ends of the one or more flexible members 174 may then be pulled to cinch the soft tissue 5 to a desired position, such as adjacent the bone anchor 172. The bone anchor 172 with the soft tissue 5 and repair device 10 cinched thereto may then be seated in a pre-formed hole in bone (not shown). In this manner, the repair device 10 of this embodiment may be employed to fixate soft tissue 5 to bone.

With reference to FIGS. 4 and 15 , another embodiment of a repair device system 180 including the repair device 10 that may be employed with a bone anchor 182 is provided. As in the previous embodiments, the repair device 10 may include the anchor member 12 and the capture member 14 for fixating to the soft tissue and may be employed for coupling to a bone anchor 182. For example, the bone anchor 182 may define a central bore 184 extending within at least one end of the bone anchor 182. The bone anchor 182 may also include one or more flexible members 186 extending therefrom, such as, extending from within the bore 184 that may be pre-coupled to the bone anchor 182. Upon seating and/or coupling the bone anchor 182 into bone 7 and upon deploying the repair device 10 to couple to the soft tissue 5, the one or more flexible members 186 may be threaded through the capture member 14, the soft tissue 5 and through the central opening 25 of the anchor member 12. The soft tissue 5 may then be cinched down to the bone anchor 182 while the physician holds the one or more flexible members 186 taut so that the central opening 25 of the anchor member 12 and the capture member 14 are substantially aligned with the bore 184 of the bone anchor 182. The soft tissue 5 may then be coupled to the bone 7 and bone anchor 182 by inserting a post 188 through the central opening 25 of the anchor member 12 and the capture member 14 and into the bore 184 of the bone anchor 182. The post 188 may define fastening structure on an outer surface 185 of the post 188, such as ribs 187 and/or threads, sized and configured to couple to the bone anchor 182 and the repair device 10. As such, the post 188 may be sized and configured with tolerances to fit tight within the central opening 25 of the repair device 10 and the bore 184 of the bone anchor 182 such that the one or more flexible members 186 may be sandwiched between the outer surface 185 of the post 188 and the corresponding inner surfaces of the repair device 10 and the bone anchor 182. In this manner, it may not be necessary for a physician to tie off the one or more flexible members 186 with knots since the post facilitates a coupling between the one or more flexible members 186 and the repair device 10. Further, if desired, the physician may loop and thread the one or more flexible members 186 around and through the repair device 10 multiple times and tie-off the one or more flexible members 186 to the repair device 10 and then insert the post 188, as previously set forth, thereby providing a more fail safe dual coupling of the one or more flexible members 186 and the post 188. In either case, the repair device 10 of this embodiment may be employed with the post 188 and the one or more flexible members 186 for coupling the soft tissue 5 to bone 7.

With respect to FIGS. 4 and 16 , another embodiment and method for coupling soft tissue to bone with a repair device system 190 is provided. In this embodiment, the repair device system 190 may include the repair device 10 that may be employed with a bone anchor 192 and a post 194. This embodiment is similar to the previous embodiment except the post 194 may be sized to only couple to the repair device 10 and not directly to the bone anchor 192. Similar to the previous embodiment, the post 194 may sandwich one or more flexible members 196 extending from and coupled to the bone anchor 192 between an outer surface 195 of the post 194 and the inner surface defining the central opening 25 of the anchor member 12 and the inner periphery 54 defining a hole of the capture member 14, thereby, coupling the soft tissue 5 to the bone 7. In this embodiment, the physician may not need to align the central opening 25 of the repair device 10 with the bone anchor 192, but may cinch the soft tissue 5 toward the bone 7 to a desired position to then simply insert the post 194 into the repair device 10, which in turn, fastens the one or more flexible members 196 to the repair device 10. In this manner, the repair device 10 may be employed for coupling to the soft tissue 7 so that the soft tissue 5 can be coupled and fixated to the bone 7 with the bone anchor 192 and post 194 arrangement.

Now with reference to FIGS. 17A and 17B, another embodiment of a repair device 200 with an anchor 202 and a capture member 204 is provided. The anchor 202 may be sized and configured to be deployed into soft tissue to couple to the capture member 204 with the soft tissue therebetween, similar to previous repair device embodiments. The repair device 200 of this embodiment may be employed for coupling to soft tissue, such as tendon or ligament, in the shoulder or ankle regions, for example, to be coupled to bone with a bone anchor.

With respect to FIG. 17A, the anchor 202 may include a base 206 with legs 208 extending therefrom. The base 206 may exhibit a circular profile and define an inner ring portion 210 and an outer ring portion 212 with spokes 214 extending radially between the inner ring portion 210 and the outer ring portion 212. The inner ring portion 210 of the anchor may define a central opening 216 of the anchor 202. In addition, the outer ring portion 212 may include wing portions 218 extending radially outward from the outer ring portion 212. Further, the legs 208 may extend downward from the outer ring portion 212 between adjacently extending wing portions 218. The wing portions 218 may extend outward beyond the legs 208 to facilitate a larger area for the anchor 202 to sandwich the soft tissue with the capture member 204. The legs 208 may include structural characteristics similar to legs 208 of previous embodiments such that the legs 208 may be sized and configured to be deployed through soft tissue and configured to move to a curled position through the tissue.

With respect to FIGS. 17A and 17B, the capture member 204 may be sized and configured to be engaged and coupled to the legs 208 of the anchor 202, the capture member 204 including a circular profile with features that correspond with the anchor 202. For example, the capture member 204 may include an inner circular portion 220, a middle circular portion 221, and an outer circular portion 222 with spoke portions 203 extending radially from the inner circular portion 220 to the outer circular portion 222. The capture member 204 may also include multiple tines 224 extending from a surface of the outer circular portion 222, the tines 224 sized and configured to engage soft tissue. In one embodiment, the tines 224 may be positioned to be aligned with and adjacent to outer ends of the spoke portions 223. Further, the capture member 204 may also include a central hole 225 sized to correspond with the central opening 216 of the anchor 202. Similar to previous embodiments, the capture member 204 may be positioned on a anvil upper surface of a anvil and the anchor 202 may be positioned within a cartridge. Upon positioning soft tissue over the capture member 204 and over the anvil upper surface, the anchor 202 may be deployed from the cartridge such that the legs 208 of the anchor 202 may extend through the soft tissue, engage anvil buckets defined in the anvil so that the legs 208 move to the curled position and wrap around a portion of the capture member 204. For example, the capture member 204 and anchor 202 may be positioned such that the legs 208 curl around outer spoke portions 226 of the capture member 204. With this arrangement, the anchor 202 and capture member 204 may be employed for coupling soft tissue to bone similar to that depicted in FIG. 11 such that one or more flexible members may be coupled to the anchor 202 so that the one or more flexible members may be coupled to a bone anchor, similar to that set forth in any one of the embodiments depicted and described in FIGS. 12-14 .

With reference to FIGS. 18A and 18B, similar to the previous embodiment, another embodiment of a repair device 230 having an anchor 232 and a capture member 234 sized and configured to couple to soft tissue, such as tendon or ligament, is provided. The anchor 232 is similar to the previous embodiment, except the anchor 232 does not include the wing portions. The anchor 232 may include a base 236 having an inner ring portion 238 and an outer ring portion 240 with radially extending spokes 242 extending therebetween, the inner ring portion 238 defining a central opening 244 therein. Further, the base 236 may include legs 246 extending downward from the base 236 such that the legs 246 may be positioned along the base 236 in an aligned manner relative to the spokes 242, the legs 246 sized and configured to move to a curled position upon deploying the anchor 232 from a delivery device, similar to the previous embodiments described herein.

In this embodiment, the capture member 234 may include a base 248 with spokes 250, such as five spokes, extending from a central portion 252. The central portion 252 defines a central hole 254 configured to correspond with the central opening 244 of the anchor 232. The spokes 250 may extend radially from the central portion 252. Further, each spoke 250 may include structure 256 defining an aperture 258 at an outer end thereof. Further, the structure 256 defining the aperture 258 may include a tine 259 or spike extending therefrom sized and configured to engage and grab soft tissue. With this arrangement, the capture member 234 may be positioned on a cradle so that the legs 246 of the anchor 232 may be aligned with the apertures 258 of the capture member 234 such that, upon the anchor 232 being deployed from the cartridge, the legs 246 extend through the apertures 258 to then engage anvil buckets to curl around the structure 256 defining the apertures 258. In this manner, the anchor 232 and the capture member 234 may be coupled to soft tissue, similar to previous embodiments, which may be coupled to bone with one or more flexible members coupled to an embedded bone anchor, similar to that depicted in FIGS. 11-14 . Such one or more flexible members may be threaded through the soft tissue and the central opening 244 of the anchor 232 and the central hole 254 of the capture member 234.

With reference to FIGS. 19A and 19B, another embodiment of a repair device 260 having an anchor 262 and a capture member 264, similar to previous embodiments, is provided. The anchor 262 may include a base 266 having an outer circular portion 268 with spokes 270 extending radially inward to a central portion 272, the base 266 including legs 274 extending downward from the outer circular portion 268. The capture member 264 may include an outer frame portion 276 that may extend with a pentagon shape. The outer frame portion 276 may include structure 278 defining apertures 280 along an outer periphery of the outer frame portion 276, the structure 278 defining the apertures 280 may be positioned adjacent corners of the pentagon shaped outer frame portion 276. The apertures 280 may be sized to correspond with the legs 274 of the anchor 282 such that the legs 274 may extend through the apertures 280 and curl around the structure 278 defining the apertures 280, similar to the previous embodiment. Further, the outer frame portion 276 may include tines 282 extending inward and upward from the outer frame portion 276. As in previous embodiments, such tines 282 of the capture member 274 may be sized and configured to engage and grab into soft tissue.

With reference to FIG. 20 , another embodiment of a repair device 284 that may be employed for fixating to soft tissue such that the repair device 284 may be coupled to bone with a bone anchor. Similar to previous embodiments, the repair device 284 may include an anchor 285 that may be employed alone to fixate to soft tissue and may also be employed to couple to a capture member, such as any one of the capture members described and depicted in FIGS. 2, 17B, 18B and 19B. Further, the anchor 285 may be deployed from a cartridge of a delivery device, similar to that described and depicted in FIGS. 8, 9A and 9B. The anchor 285 may include a base 286 with legs 287 extending therefrom, the legs 287 sized and configured to be moved to a curled and formed position for fixating to soft tissue. The base 286 may include an outer periphery and an inner periphery 288, the inner periphery 288 defining a central opening 289 of the anchor 284. The anchor 284 of this embodiment having the central opening 289 defined in the base 286 may be suitable to couple to a bone anchor, similar to that described and depicted relative to FIGS. 11 through 16 . Further, the anchor 285 of this embodiment may include the one or more flexible members coupled to the base 286 or legs 287 of the anchor 285.

With reference to FIG. 21 , another embodiment of an anchor 292 of a repair device 290 is provided. The anchor 292 of this embodiment may be employed with a corresponding capture member, similar to that set forth in previous embodiments. The anchor 292 may also be employed alone or with a capture member, similar to previous embodiments. The anchor 292 of this embodiment may include a base 294 from which legs 296 may extend, such as six legs. In another embodiment, the anchor 292 may include at least four legs 296. In another embodiment, the anchor 292 may include at least five legs 296. The base 294 may include an elongated profile defining an axis 295 along the elongated profile such that the legs 296 may extend substantially perpendicular relative to the axis 295. The legs 296, as in previous embodiments, may be sized and configured to engage anvil buckets to move to a curled position that may wrap around portions of a capture member. In this embodiment, the base 294 may include one or more apertures 298, such as two apertures, extending through the base 294. Such apertures 298 may be sized and configured to extend one or more filaments therethrough for coupling the anchor 292 to a bone anchor. In this manner, upon the anchor 292 being coupled to soft tissue as set forth in previous embodiments, the anchor 292 and soft tissue may be coupled to a bone anchor via the one or more filaments extending through the one or more apertures 298 and being coupled to the anchor 292.

Now with reference to FIGS. 22, 23 and 24 , other embodiments of one or more flexible members coupled to a repair device and extending with various configurations, are provided. With respect to FIG. 22 , the repair device may include an anchor member 300 similar to the anchor member depicted in FIG. 1 , such that a base 302 of the anchor member 300 may include a similar top view profile. In this embodiment, a flexible member 304 may be coupled to the base 302 such that the flexible member 304 may extend between opposing recesses 306 defined in the base 302 so that the flexible member 304 extends in a crisscross manner to define an intersection 308 between length portions 309 of the flexible member 304. As previously set forth, a second flexible member 60 (FIG. 3 ) may then be passed over the intersection 308 of the flexible member 304 and extend downward from the flexible member 304 and the repair device. Further, as previously set forth, the suture may be coupled to a bone anchor (not shown), similar to that set forth herein.

With respect to FIG. 23 , a flexible member 310 may be wrapped around a base 312 of an anchor member 314 to exhibit a star-like configuration. In this embodiment, the anchor member 314 may include multiple recesses 316 defined in the base 312, such as five recesses formed in a periphery of the base 312. With this arrangement, the flexible member 310 may extend across an expanse of a central opening 318 of the base 312 to crisscross at multiple locations to exhibit multiple intersections 320 of multiple length portions 322 of the flexible member 310. With this arrangement, the second flexible member (FIG. 3 ) may be coupled to the flexible member 310 to extend over one or more length portions 322 of the flexible member 310 at one or more intersections 320 of the flexible member 310.

With respect to FIG. 24 , an anchor member 324 may include a base 326 with two apertures 328 or recesses defined therein. In this embodiment, a flexible member 330 may be wrapped through the apertures 328 so that the flexible member 330 extends between the two apertures 328 and over and under a central opening 332 defined in the base member 326 of the anchor member 324. With this arrangement, a second flexible member 60 (FIG. 3 ) may be coupled to a length portion 334 of the flexible member 330 by extending over the length portion 334 of the flexible member 330 and extending downward from the central opening 332 defined in the anchor member 324. In this manner, the various configurations of the flexible member (as depicted in FIGS. 22, 23 and 24 ) coupled to the anchor member of the repair device may be employed as a coupling for a second flexible member 60 (FIG. 3 ) to couple to the repair device and to a bone anchor, similar to that described in other embodiments herein.

Now with reference to FIGS. 25, 26 and 27 , another embodiment of a repair device 350 is provided. In this embodiment, the repair device 350 may include a bone anchor portion 352 and a soft tissue anchor portion 354. The bone anchor portion 352 may be sized and configured couple to bone 7. The bone anchor portion 352 may include an outer surface 356 that defines ribs 358 or threads or the like sized and configured to couple to a base structure embedded in the bone or structure that effectively engages the bone 7 itself. Further, various bone cements may also be employed and other structures and procedures for ensuring strong connection of the bone anchor portion 352 in the bone 7, as known to one of ordinary skill in the art.

The soft tissue anchor portion 354 of the repair device 350 may include an anchor 360 and a capture member 362. The anchor 360 may include multiple legs 364 extending from a proximal side 366 or surface of the bone anchor portion 352. Such legs 364 may be embedded within the bone anchor portion 352 during, for example, a molding process of forming the bone anchor portion 352. The legs 364 may be moved from a first position to a second position, the first position being a linear elongated position (FIG. 25 ) and the second position being a curled position (FIG. 26 ). The legs 364 of the anchor 360 may include structural characteristics similar to legs 364 of previous embodiments set forth herein that may facilitate consistent movement of the legs 364 to the curled position, upon engaging anvil buckets of an anvil (not shown). The capture member 362 of the soft tissue anchor portion 354 may include, for example, structure to facilitate the legs 364 to curl around as well as provide stability for coupling to soft tissue 5, similar to previous embodiments utilizing a capture member with an anchor. Further, similar to previous embodiments set forth herein, the capture member 362 may be positioned on an anvil with corresponding sizing relative to the capture member 362 so that the legs 364 may be pushed against anvil buckets defined in the anvil to move the legs 364 in the curled position to wrap around structure defined in the capture member 362. In this manner, the bone anchor portion 352 may be coupled to bone 7 and the soft tissue anchor portion 354 may be coupled to soft tissue 5, such as tendon or ligament, for coupling soft tissue 5 to bone 7.

The various repair device embodiments or other embodiments disclosed herein may be applied to any one of various soft tissue to soft tissue repairs as well as soft tissue to bone repairs. For example, the various repair device embodiments may be employed for flexor tendon repairs, patellar tendon repairs, Achilles tendon repairs, quadriceps tendon repairs, and/or bicep tendon repairs, or any other tendon, ligament, and tendon/ligament to bone repairs, such as kidner procedures or insertional Achilles repairs, or any other tendon/ligament to bone repairs. As such, the repair device may be appropriately sized for proper fixation to the different sized or types of soft tissue.

While the invention may be susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and have been described in detail herein. Further, the structural features of any one embodiment disclosed herein may be combined or replaced by any one of the structural features of another embodiment set forth herein. As such, it should be understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, the invention includes employing any portion of one embodiment with another embodiment, all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives, falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for fixating to soft tissue at a soft tissue repair site, the method comprising; providing a delivery device coupled to an anvil with an anvil surface having anvil buckets defined therein, the delivery device configured to hold an anchor member with a base and at least four legs integrally extending from the base, the anchor member including one or more flexible members coupled to the base; positioning soft tissue over the anvil surface of the anvil; and forcing the at least four legs of the anchor member with the delivery device through the soft tissue to then compress the at least four legs into the anvil buckets so that the at least four legs of the anchor member are formed to couple to the soft tissue.
 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the providing comprises providing a capture member over the anvil surface so that, upon forcing the at least four legs, the at least four legs wrap around structural portions of the capture member so that the soft tissue is captured between the base of the anchor member and the capture member.
 3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising coupling the one or more flexible members to a bone anchor.
 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the forcing comprises forcing the one or more flexible members through the soft tissue with a needle structure. 